Magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus

- Ricoh Company, Ltd.

The reliability due to time-elapsing variation of the magneto-optic disk and the data recorded on the magneto-optic disk are evaluated. A magneto-optic disk driving apparatus can preserve a sheet of magneto-optic disk during the period over the endurable number of years, and a file manager can issue an alarm to the user in accordance with the deterioration state of the magneto-optic disk. The magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus for controlling the magneto-optic disk driving apparatus capable of taking in or taking out the magneto-optic disk by the operation of user's hands or the automatic transportation by use of the host computer comprises a disk deterioration judging (grasping) measure and a disk deterioration tolerance excess alarming measure. The file manager for realizing the IS&C file format in the magneto-optic disk by performing the operation of reading/writing the data on the magneto-optic disk in the magneto-optic disk driving apparatus by use of the execution program comprises a disk deterioration state grasping measure and a disk deterioration state alarming measure.

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Claims

1. A magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus, in which a magneto-optic disk drive apparatus for removing and inserting a magneto-optic disk manually or by automatic transportation is controlled by a host computer, said magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus comprising:

a disk deterioration judging mechanism that determines a deterioration state of said magneto-optic disk based at least on a type of data stored on said magneto-optic disk;
disk deterioration recording means for recording a progression of said deterioration state of said magneto-optic disk; and
a disk deterioration tolerance excess alarming mechanism that provides a user a warning to stop using said magneto-optic disk or for backing-up data stored on said magneto-optic disk based on said recorded progression of said deterioration state and/or when an extent of said determined deterioration state exceeds a predetermined deterioration tolerance standard.

2. A magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 1, said magneto-optic drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

disk recognizing means for recognizing each of a plurality of magneto-optic disks;
disk deterioration recording means for recording a progression of said deterioration state of each of said plurality of recognized magneto-optic disks into said controlling apparatus; and
disk deterioration alarming means for emitting an alarm signal based on said recorded progression of said deterioration state of each of said plurality of recognized magneto-optic disks.

3. A magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 1, said magneto-optic drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

inside-area recording means for recording said progression of said deterioration state of said magneto-optic disk into an inside area of a filing system of said controlling apparatus.

4. A magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 1, said magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

outside-area recording means for recording said progression of said deterioration state of said magneto-optic disk into an area outside of a filing system of said controlling apparatus.

5. A magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus, in which a magneto-optic disk drive apparatus for removing and inserting a magneto-optic disk manually or by automatic transportation is controlled by a host computer, said magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus comprising:

a disk deterioration judging mechanism that determines a deterioration state of said magneto-optic disk based at least on a type of data stored on said magneto-optic disk;
disk deterioration recording means for recording a progression of said deterioration state of said magneto-optic disk; and
a disk deterioration tolerance excess data backup creating mechanism that automatically creates a backup of data stored on said magneto-optic disk onto another magneto-optic disk based on said recorded progression of said deterioration state and/or when an extent of said determined deterioration state exceeds a predetermined deterioration tolerance standard.

6. A magneto-optic out disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 5, said magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

disk recognizing means for recognizing each of a plurality of magneto-optic disks;
disk deterioration recording means for recording a progression of said deterioration state of each of said plurality of recognized magneto-optic disks into said controlling apparatus; and
disk data backup creating means for automatically creating a backup of data onto said other magneto-optic disk based on said recorded progression of said deterioration state for each of said plurality of magneto-optic disks.

7. A magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 5, said magneto-optic drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

inside-area recording means for recording said progression of said deterioration state of said magneto-optic disk into an inside area of a filing system of said controlling apparatus.

8. A magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 5, said magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

outside-area recording means for recording said progression of said deterioration state of said magneto-optic disk into an area outside of a filing system of said controlling apparatus.

9. A magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus, in which a magneto-optic disk drive apparatus for removing and inserting a magneto-optic disk manually or by automatic transportation is controlled by a host computer, said magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus comprising:

a disk deterioration judging mechanism that determines a deterioration state of said magneto-optic disk based at least on a type of data stored on said magneto-optic disk;
disk deterioration recording means for recording a progression of said deterioration state of said magneto-optic disk into said controlling apparatus and/or onto said magneto-optic disk itself; and
a disk deterioration tolerance excess warning and data backup creating mechanism for giving a user a warning signal based on said determined deterioration state and/or said recorded progression of said deterioration state, and for automatically creating a backup of data on said magneto-optic disk onto another magneto-optic disk based on said determined deterioration state and/or said recorded progression of said deterioration state.

10. A magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 9, said magneto-optic drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

inside-area recording means for recording said progression of said deterioration state of said magneto-optic disk into an inside area of a filing system of said controlling apparatus.

11. A magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 9, said magneto-optic disk drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

outside-area recording means for recording said progression of said deterioration state of said magneto-optic disk into an area outside of a filing system of said controlling apparatus.

12. An optical disk driving controlling apparatus, in which an optical disk drive apparatus for removing and inserting an optical disk manually or by automatic transportation is controlled by a host computer, said optical disk drive controlling apparatus comprising:

a disk deterioration judging mechanism that determines a deterioration state of said optical disk based at least on a type of data stored on said optical disk;
disk deterioration recording means for recording a progression of said deterioration state of said optical disk; and
a disk deterioration tolerance excess alarming mechanism that provides a user a warning to stop using said optical disk or for backing-up data stored on said optical disk based on said recorded progression of said deterioration state and/or when an extent of said determined deterioration state exceeds a predetermined deterioration tolerance standard.

13. An optical disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 12, said optical disk drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

disk recognizing means for recognizing each of a plurality of optical disks;
disk deterioration recording means for recording a progression of said deterioration state of each of said plurality of recognized optical disks into said controlling apparatus; and
disk deterioration alarming means for emitting an alarm signal based on said recorded progression of said deterioration state of each of said plurality of optical disks.

14. An optical disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 12, said optical drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

inside-area recording means for recording said progression of said deterioration state of said optical disk into an inside area of a filing system of said controlling apparatus.

15. An optical disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 12, said optical disk drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

outside-area recording means for recording said progression of said deterioration state of said optical disk into an area outside of a filing system of said controlling apparatus.

16. An optical disk drive controlling apparatus, in which an optical disk drive apparatus for removing and inserting an optical disk manually or by automatic transportation is controlled by a host computer, said optical disk drive controlling apparatus comprising:

a disk deterioration judging mechanism that determines a deterioration state of said optical disk based at least on a type of data stored on said optical disk;
disk deterioration recording means for recording a progression of said deterioration state of said optical disk; and
a disk deterioration tolerance excess data backup creating mechanism that automatically creates a backup of data stored on said optical disk onto another optical disk based on said recorded progression of said deterioration state and/or when an extent of said determined deterioration state exceeds the deterioration tolerance standard.

17. An optical disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 16, said optical disk drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

disk recognizing means for recognizing each of a plurality of optical disks;
disk deterioration recording means for recording a progression of said deterioration state of each of said plurality of recognized optical disks into said controlling apparatus; and
disk deterioration data backup creating means for automatically creating a backup of data onto said other optical disk based on said recorded progression of said deterioration state of each of said plurality of optical disks.

18. An optical disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 16, said optical drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

inside-area recording means for recording said progression of said deterioration state of said optical disk into an inside area of a filing system of said controlling apparatus.

19. An optical disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 16, said optical disk drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

outside-area recording means for recording said progression of said deterioration state of said optical disk into an area outside of a filing system of said controlling apparatus.

20. An optical disk drive controlling apparatus, in which an optical disk drive apparatus for removing and inserting an optical disk manually or by automatic transportation is controlled by a host computer, said optical disk drive controlling apparatus comprising:

a disk deterioration judging mechanism that determines a deterioration state of said optical disk based at least on a type of data stored on said optical disk;
disk deterioration recording means for recording a progression of said deterioration state of said optical disk into said controlling apparatus and/or onto said optical disk itself; and
a disk deterioration tolerance excess warning and data backup creating mechanism for giving a user a warning signal based on said determined deterioration state and/or said recorded progression of said deterioration state, and for automatically creating a backup of data on said optical disk onto another optical disk based on said determined deterioration state and/or said recorded progression of said deterioration state.

21. An optical disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 20, said optical drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

inside-area recording means for recording said progression of said deterioration state of said optical disk into an inside area of a filing system of said controlling apparatus.

22. An optical disk drive controlling apparatus as defined in claim 20, said optical disk drive controlling apparatus further comprising:

outside-area recording means for recording said progression of said deterioration state of said optical disk into an area outside of a filing system of said controlling apparatus.

23. A method of preserving data stored on a magneto-optical or optical recording medium over a life span of said recording medium, using a recording medium disk drive apparatus, said method comprising the steps of:

determining a deterioration state of said recording medium by evaluating data recorded on said recording medium;
recording a progression of said deterioration state of said recording medium; and
transferring said data stored on said recording medium to another recording medium based on said progression of said deterioration state and/or when said determined deterioration state of said recording medium exceeds a deterioration tolerance level.
Referenced Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
4792933 December 20, 1988 Suzuki
4821254 April 11, 1989 Satoh et al.
5473581 December 5, 1995 Yonezawa et al.
Patent History
Patent number: 5742574
Type: Grant
Filed: Jun 2, 1997
Date of Patent: Apr 21, 1998
Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd. (Tokyo)
Inventor: Masuyoshi Yachida (Yokohama)
Primary Examiner: Muhammad N. Edun
Law Firm: Cooper & Dunham LLP
Application Number: 8/867,273
Classifications
Current U.S. Class: 369/54; 369/58; 369/53; 369/47
International Classification: G11B 700;